The poetical works of James Montgomery collected by himself |
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| II. | No. II. THE DREAM. |
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 | The poetical works of James Montgomery |  |
No. II. THE DREAM.
I dreamt; but what care I for dreams?
And yet I tremble too;
It look'd so like the truth, it seems
As if it would come true.
And yet I tremble too;
It look'd so like the truth, it seems
As if it would come true.
I dreamt that, long ere peep of day,
I left my cold straw bed,
And o'er a common far away,
As if I flew, I fled.
I left my cold straw bed,
And o'er a common far away,
As if I flew, I fled.
The tempest hurried me behind
Like a mill-stream along;
I could have lean'd against the wind,
It was so deadly strong.
Like a mill-stream along;
I could have lean'd against the wind,
It was so deadly strong.
The snow—I never saw such snow—
Raged like the sea all round,
Tossing and tumbling to and fro;
I thought I must be drown'd.
Raged like the sea all round,
Tossing and tumbling to and fro;
I thought I must be drown'd.
Now up, now down, with main and might
I plunged through drift and stour;
Nothing, no nothing baulk'd my flight,
I had a giant's power.
I plunged through drift and stour;
Nothing, no nothing baulk'd my flight,
I had a giant's power.
Till suddenly the storm stood still,
Flat lay the snow beneath;
I curdled to an icicle,
I could not stir—not breathe.
Flat lay the snow beneath;
I curdled to an icicle,
I could not stir—not breathe.
My master found me rooted there;
He flogg'd me back to sense,
Then pluck'd me up, and by the hair,
Sheer over ditch and fence,—
He flogg'd me back to sense,
Then pluck'd me up, and by the hair,
Sheer over ditch and fence,—
He dragg'd, and dragg'd, and dragg'd me on,
For many and many a mile;
At a grand house he stopp'd anon;—
It was a famous pile:
For many and many a mile;
At a grand house he stopp'd anon;—
It was a famous pile:
Up to the moon it seem'd to rise,
Broad as the earth to stand;
The building darken'd half the skies,
Its shadow half the land.
Broad as the earth to stand;
The building darken'd half the skies,
Its shadow half the land.
169
All round was still—as still as death;
I shivering, chattering, stood;
And felt the coming, going breath,
The tingling, freezing blood.
I shivering, chattering, stood;
And felt the coming, going breath,
The tingling, freezing blood.
Soon, at my master's rap, rap, rap,
The door wide open flew;
In went we;—with a thunder-clap
Again the door bang'd to.
The door wide open flew;
In went we;—with a thunder-clap
Again the door bang'd to.
I trembled, as I've felt a bird
Tremble within my fist;
For none I saw, and none I heard,
But all was lone and whist.
Tremble within my fist;
For none I saw, and none I heard,
But all was lone and whist.
The moonshine through the windows show'd
Long stripes of light and gloom;
The carpet with all colours glow'd,
Stone men stood round the room:
Long stripes of light and gloom;
The carpet with all colours glow'd,
Stone men stood round the room:
Fair pictures in their golden frames,
And looking-glasses bright;
Fine things, I cannot tell their names,
Dazed and bewitch'd me quite.
And looking-glasses bright;
Fine things, I cannot tell their names,
Dazed and bewitch'd me quite.
Master soon thwack'd them out my head—
The chimney must be swept!
Yet in the grate the coals were red;
I stamp'd, and scream'd, and wept.
The chimney must be swept!
Yet in the grate the coals were red;
I stamp'd, and scream'd, and wept.
I kneel'd, I kiss'd his feet, I pray'd;
For then—which shows I dreamt—
Methought I ne'er before had made
The terrible attempt.
For then—which shows I dreamt—
Methought I ne'er before had made
The terrible attempt.
But, as a butcher lifts the lamb
That struggles for its life,
(Far from the ramping, bleating dam,)
Beneath his desperate knife;
That struggles for its life,
(Far from the ramping, bleating dam,)
Beneath his desperate knife;
With his two iron hands he grasp'd
And hoisted me aloof;
His naked neck in vain I clasp'd,
The man was pity-proof.
And hoisted me aloof;
His naked neck in vain I clasp'd,
The man was pity-proof.
So forth he swung me through the space,
Above the smouldering fire;
I never can forget his face,
Nor his gruff growl, “Go higher!”
Above the smouldering fire;
I never can forget his face,
Nor his gruff growl, “Go higher!”
As if I climb'd a steep house-side,
Or scaled a dark draw-well,
The horrid opening was so wide,
I had no hold,—I fell:
Or scaled a dark draw-well,
The horrid opening was so wide,
I had no hold,—I fell:
Fell on the embers, all my length,
But scarcely felt their heat,
When, with a madman's rage and strength,
I started on my feet;
But scarcely felt their heat,
When, with a madman's rage and strength,
I started on my feet;
And, ere I well knew what I did,
Had clear'd the broader vent;
From his wild vengeance to be hid,
I cared not where I went.
Had clear'd the broader vent;
From his wild vengeance to be hid,
I cared not where I went.
The passage narrow'd as I drew
Limb after limb by force,
Working and worming, like a screw,
My hard, slow, up-hill course.
Limb after limb by force,
Working and worming, like a screw,
My hard, slow, up-hill course.
Rougher than harrow-teeth within,
Sharp lime and jagged stone
Stripp'd my few garments, gored the skin,
And grided to the bone.
Sharp lime and jagged stone
Stripp'd my few garments, gored the skin,
And grided to the bone.
Gall'd, wounded, bleeding, ill at ease,
Still I was stout at heart;
Head, shoulders, elbows, hands, feet, knees,
All play'd a stirring part.
Still I was stout at heart;
Head, shoulders, elbows, hands, feet, knees,
All play'd a stirring part.
I climb'd, and climb'd, and climb'd in vain,
No light at top appear'd;
No end to darkness, toil, and pain,
While worse and worse I fear'd.
No light at top appear'd;
No end to darkness, toil, and pain,
While worse and worse I fear'd.
I climb'd, and climb'd, and had to climb,
Yet more and more astray;
A hundred years I thought the time,
A thousand miles the way.
Yet more and more astray;
A hundred years I thought the time,
A thousand miles the way.
Strength left me, and breath fail'd at last,
Then had I headlong dropp'd,
But the strait funnel wedged me fast,
So there dead-lock'd I stopp'd.
Then had I headlong dropp'd,
But the strait funnel wedged me fast,
So there dead-lock'd I stopp'd.
I groan'd, I grasp'd, to shriek I tried,
No sound came from my breast;
There was a weight on every side,
As if a stone-delf press'd.
No sound came from my breast;
There was a weight on every side,
As if a stone-delf press'd.
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Yet still my brain kept beating on
Through night-mares of all shapes,
Foul fiends, no sooner come than gone,
Dragons, and wolves, and apes.
Through night-mares of all shapes,
Foul fiends, no sooner come than gone,
Dragons, and wolves, and apes.
They gnash'd on me with bloody jaws,
Chatter'd, and howl'd, and hiss'd;
They clutch'd me with their cat-like claws
While off they whirl'd in mist.
Chatter'd, and howl'd, and hiss'd;
They clutch'd me with their cat-like claws
While off they whirl'd in mist.
Till, like a lamp-flame, blown away,
My soul went out in gloom;
Thought ceased, and dead-alive I lay,
Shut up in that black tomb.
My soul went out in gloom;
Thought ceased, and dead-alive I lay,
Shut up in that black tomb.
O, sweetly on the mother's lap
Her pretty baby lies,
And breathes so freely in his nap,
She can't take off her eyes.
Her pretty baby lies,
And breathes so freely in his nap,
She can't take off her eyes.
Ah! thinks she then,—ah, thinks she not!—
How soon the time may be
When all her love will be forgot,
And he a wretch like me?
How soon the time may be
When all her love will be forgot,
And he a wretch like me?
She in her grave at rest may lie,
And daisies speck the sod,
Nor see him bleed, nor hear him cry,
Beneath a ruffian's rod.
And daisies speck the sod,
Nor see him bleed, nor hear him cry,
Beneath a ruffian's rod.
No mother's lap was then my bed,
O'er me no mother smiled;
No mother's arm went round my head,
—Am I no mother's child?
O'er me no mother smiled;
No mother's arm went round my head,
—Am I no mother's child?
Life, on a sudden, ran me through,
Light, light, all round me blazed,
Red flames rush'd roaring up the flue,—
Flames by my master raised.
Light, light, all round me blazed,
Red flames rush'd roaring up the flue,—
Flames by my master raised.
I heard his voice, and ten-fold might
Bolted through every limb;
I saw his face, and shot upright;
Brick walls made way from him.
Bolted through every limb;
I saw his face, and shot upright;
Brick walls made way from him.
Swift as a squirrel seeks the bough
Where he may turn and look
Down on the school-boy, chop-fallen now,
My ready flight I took.
Where he may turn and look
Down on the school-boy, chop-fallen now,
My ready flight I took.
The fire was quickly quench'd beneath,
Blue light above me glanced,
And air, sweet air, I 'gan to breathe,
The blood within me danced.
Blue light above me glanced,
And air, sweet air, I 'gan to breathe,
The blood within me danced.
I climb'd, and climb'd, and climb'd away,
Till on the top I stood,
And saw the glorious dawn of day
Come down on field and flood.
Till on the top I stood,
And saw the glorious dawn of day
Come down on field and flood.
Oh me! a moment of such joy
I never knew before;
Right happy was the climbing-boy,
One moment,—but no more.
I never knew before;
Right happy was the climbing-boy,
One moment,—but no more.
Sick, sick, I turn'd, the world ran round,
The stone I stood on broke,
And plumb I toppled to the ground;
—Like a scared owl, I woke.
The stone I stood on broke,
And plumb I toppled to the ground;
—Like a scared owl, I woke.
I woke, but slept again, and dream'd
The self-same things anew:
The storm, the snow, the building seem'd
All true, as daylight's true.
The self-same things anew:
The storm, the snow, the building seem'd
All true, as daylight's true.
But, when I tumbled from the top,
The world itself had flown;
There was no ground on which to drop,
'Twas emptiness alone.
The world itself had flown;
There was no ground on which to drop,
'Twas emptiness alone.
On winter nights I've seen a star
Leap headlong from the sky;
I've watch'd the lightning from afar
Flash out of heaven and die.
Leap headlong from the sky;
I've watch'd the lightning from afar
Flash out of heaven and die.
So,—but in darkness,—so I fell
Through nothing to no place,
Until I saw the flames of hell
Shoot upward to my face.
Through nothing to no place,
Until I saw the flames of hell
Shoot upward to my face.
Down, down, as with a mill-stone weight,
I plunged right through their smoke:
To cry for mercy 'twas too late,—
They seized me,—I awoke:
I plunged right through their smoke:
To cry for mercy 'twas too late,—
They seized me,—I awoke:
'Woke, slept, and dream'd the like again,
The third time, through and through,
Except the winding up;—ah! then
I wish it had been true.
The third time, through and through,
Except the winding up;—ah! then
I wish it had been true.
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For when I climb'd into the air,
Spring-breezes flapp'd me round;
Green hills, and dales, and woods were there,
And May-flowers on the ground.
Spring-breezes flapp'd me round;
Green hills, and dales, and woods were there,
And May-flowers on the ground.
The moon was waning in the west,
The clouds were golden red;
The lark, a mile above his nest,
Was cheering o'er my head.
The clouds were golden red;
The lark, a mile above his nest,
Was cheering o'er my head.
The stars had vanish'd, all but one,
The darling of the sky,
That glitter'd like a tiny sun,
No bigger than my eye.
The darling of the sky,
That glitter'd like a tiny sun,
No bigger than my eye.
I look'd at this,—I thought it smiled,
Which made me feel so glad,
That I became another child,
And not the climbing lad:
Which made me feel so glad,
That I became another child,
And not the climbing lad:
A child as fair as you may see,
Whom soot has never soil'd;
As rosy-cheek'd as I might be
If I had not been spoil'd.
Whom soot has never soil'd;
As rosy-cheek'd as I might be
If I had not been spoil'd.
Wings, of themselves, about me grew,
And, free as morning-light,
Up to that single star I flew,
So beautiful and bright.
And, free as morning-light,
Up to that single star I flew,
So beautiful and bright.
Through the blue heaven I stretch'd my hand
To touch its beams,—it broke
Like a sea-bubble on the sand;
Then all fell dark.—I woke.
To touch its beams,—it broke
Like a sea-bubble on the sand;
Then all fell dark.—I woke.
| The poetical works of James Montgomery | |